Baltimore Ravens vs. Pittsburgh Steelers Betting Odds, Analysis, NFL Pick

The AFC North can be captured by the Pittsburgh Steelers (9-5) with a win over the Baltimore Ravens (8-6) on Sunday, and the sportsbooks have them pegged as solid home favorites.

But the Steelers dropped the first meeting between the teams 21-14 as three-point road chalk back in Week 9 during a four-game skid. It was their fourth straight loss to the Ravens in the divisional rivalry.

Point spread: The Steelers opened as 3.5-point favorites; the total was 44.5 early in the week, according to sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark (line updates and matchup report).

NFL pick, via OddsShark computer: 32.6-13.5, Steelers (NFL picks on every game)

Why the Ravens can cover the spread

Baltimore has had Pittsburgh's number lately, going 3-0-1 against the spread in the past four meetings too, according to the OddsShark NFL Database.

The Ravens are coming off a rebound victory against the Philadelphia Eagles at home after falling to the New England Patriots on the road, and they can still win the division title with wins in their last two games. Baltimore will be motivated to sweep the regular-season series, which would give them the tiebreaker if both teams finish with the same record.

Why the Steelers can cover the spread

The Steelers have won five in a row since losing at home to the Dallas Cowboys, who beat them one week after the Ravens. Pittsburgh has traditionally finished the season strong, going a remarkable 13-1 SU and 12-1-1 ATS in its last 14 games during the month of December.

While Baltimore has won the previous four meetings, the team has lost 21 of 30 on the road in this matchup dating back even further. The Steelers know what's on the line here and will make sure to take care of business at home.

Smart pick

The point spread in this game is right where it should be, making it extremely difficult to pick the right side to cover. Instead, bettors would be wise to consider a play on the total in what will likely be a defensive battle. The under has cashed in the past three meetings along with eight of the last 10 games for Pittsburgh overall.

While the Steelers are known for their offense led by five Pro Bowlers, it's their defense that has been the key to their winning streak and made them serious Super Bowl contenders.

Betting trends

The Ravens are 4-0 SU and 3-0-1 ATS in their last four games against the Steelers.

The total has gone under in the Ravens' last three games against the Steelers.

The Steelers are 13-1 SU and 12-1-1 ATS in their last 14 games in December.

All NFL lines and betting trends courtesy of Bleacher Report's official odds partner, OddsShark. All quotes gathered firsthand unless otherwise noted. Check out Twitter for injury and line-movement updates and the OddsShark YouTube page for picks and analysis, or download the free odds-tracker app.